Folding cradle



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. H. HOMER,

FOLDINGYGRADLEI No. 594,015. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

liiimml (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

H. H. HOMER. FOLDING CRADLE.

N0. 594,015. Patented Nov. 23, 1897.

I I i ii J 1i? x 1E1 THE "Dams PETERS co. Puo'ro-umu. WASHINGTON, a c

its STAT S PATENT FFlC i FOLDING CRADLE.

- SPECIFICATION forming part ,of Letters Patent No. 594,015, dated November 23, 1897.

Application filed April 15, 1397. Serial No. 632,310. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD H. HOMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin, in the county of Hancock and State of Maine, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cradles, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to cradles or carriages having folding bodies, the object thereof being to improve the general construction of the same by reducing and simplifying the parts thereof.

The invention includes a body divided 1ongitudinally along the center thereof, the sections thus formed being pivotally supported at each end, so that they may be folded, and it further includes an operating-arm adapted to be shifted to open and close the body. It also includes the construction of the legs orsupports for suspending the body, and it further includes the details of construction, as will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-'- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing the body open. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4. is a detail view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a detail, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the braces between the legs.

The body of the cradle is formed of a frame comprising the upper and lower end pieces 1 2, terminating in angularly-extending ends 3 4, in which the upper and lower side pieces 5 6 are journaled. Asupplemental side piece 7 extends between each of the oppositely-arranged ends 3, these pieces being rigidly fixed in the same close beside the pieces 5 to form extra braces between said end pieces. Ex tending vertically centrally of each end of the cradle is a fiat outside end plate 8, having an inwardly-extendin g ledge 9 at the lower end thereof. In the intermediate part of the edge of this ledge an extension 10 of a horizontal plate 11 is rigidly held, the plate 11 having a semicircular flange 12 extending upwardly from the outer edge thereof. A plurality of braces 12 are rigidly held at their lower ends in this plate, the upper ends of cesses.

said braces being fixed in a corresponding plate 13, secured to the outside plate 8, said plate 13 having a semicircular flange 14 at its inner end. The end pieces 1 are centrally divided and the inner and adjacent ends thereof are pivoted to the outside of said flanges 14, and the bottom edge of said ends rest when the cradle is open upon the upper faces of the plates 13. The end pieces 2 are also centrally divided and the adjacent ends of the same rest between the under face of the plate 11 and the upper face of the ledge 9, the lower edge of said end being beveled. To the outside of each of the sections of the end pieces 2 a supplemental slotted piece 15 is rigidly attached, these supplemental pieces having their adjacent ends curved upwardly in segmental form and pivoted to and between the outer plates 8 and the flanges 12.

A casing 15, having a guiding-opening therethrough, is secured to the inner face ofeach of the end plates at the upper ends of the same to direct the vertically-movable arms which have the forked lower ends, the prongs which extend within the recesses in said supplementalplates, and are pivotally held thereon by pins 19, which pass through said pieces and through short slots in said ends. Each arm has an extension which projects above the casing and is provided with a handle pivotally secured, so that when the body is collapsed it may be folded over out of the way.

The plates 11 and 2 are suitably recessed to receive the upper and lower ends of the braces 20, which are pivoted Within said re- The slats 21 to receive the mattress are rigidly fixed in the end pieces and extend between the same.

The inner portion of the end pieces rest upon the ledges 9, and thus the pivots of the 1 pieces 1 and 19 .are relieved from strain and any liability of the accidental closing of the body avoided.

Extending outwardly from the upper end of each of the plates Sis a stud 0, upon which is journaled the circular head 61 of the hollow leg-section e, in which the'section f telescopes, said section being held in position by the binding-screw g. This forms one member of the pair of legs which is located at each end of the cradle, the second member being provided with heads 2' of hook shape, curved concentrically with the heads of the first members and fitted thereover. The end of the hook-shaped head is designed to abut a shoulder h, formed on the head d, which acts as a stop when the legs are sufficiently spread apart. To hold the heads together, washers j with flat faces bear on each side of the heads,

the washers being held immovably on the studs.

It is desirable in spreading the legs that each pair shall move in unison, and to obtain this effect each member of each pair is connected to the opposite member of the opposite pair by horizontal brace-rods i, which are pivoted within ears extending from the lower portions of the sections e,'the intermediate portions of said braces being bowed and having diagonally extending straight portions that cross each other and are pivoted together.

Instead of having the legs supported on the floor one member of each pair of legs may be secured to a wall and when the cradle is folded it will rest thereagainst. This connection is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in full lines in Fig. 4, in which a bracket y is fixed to the wall and a bracket 00 fixed to one of the sections said brackets being pivotally connected. In this construction straight braces connect the corresponding legs at each end of the cradle in lieu of the bowed braces pivoted at each end thereof, and the braces herein shown.

I claim- 1. In combination, the end plates, the divided end pieces pivotally connected at their inner ends, the side pieces journaled in the 1 enter ends of the end pieces, the braces ex- E tending between the same and the side pieces 3, extending between the upper end pieces and rigidly held therein, substantially as described.

of the divided upper end pieces being also pivotally supported, the guide carried by said end plates, the operating-arm shiftable in said guide and the supporting means, substantially as described.

3. In combination, theend plates, the pivotally-supported upper and lower divided end pieces, the ledge extending inwardly from the end plates and forming seats for the lower end pieces, and the supporting means, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the end plates, the pivotally-supported upper and lower divided end pieces, the guide carried by said end pieces, the arm movable therein having a forked end the prongs of said fork being pivotally secured to operate said lower end pieces, and the supporting means, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the end plates, the pivoted divided end pieces, the side pieces journaled in the outer ends of said end pieces and extending between the same, the vertically-guided operating-arm having a forked end the prongs of which are pivotally connected to operate each of the members of one of said divided end pieces, the'rigid brace connecting the upper and lower side pieces, and the braces extending between the upper and lower end pieces, said braces being pivotally connected at their opposite ends thereto, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the end plates, the pivoted end pieces, the side pieces, the journals extending outwardly from the upper end of said outer end plates, the leg pivoted on said journals and the means carried by one of said legs and extending over said journals concentric thereto and the head of the opposite leg adapted to project into the path of the latter leg to limit the spreading thereof, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the body including the end plates, the stud extending outwardly therefrom, the circular head journaled thereon, the hollow section carried by said head, the section adapted to telescope therewith, the hooked head surrounding the circular head, the shoulder, and the means for retaining said heads together and the telescopic section carried by the second head, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the body, the pairof legs connecting the members of one pair with the member of the opposite pair, said braces having lower intermediate portion with diagonal straight extensions, said extensions crossing and being pivotally connected together, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the body comprising the outer end plates, the divided end pieces, the

rigid vertical end braces, and the pivoted 2. In combination, the end plates, the di- 1 vided upper and lower end pieces, the inner j end of the lower end pieces being pivotally 1 connected to said end plates, the inner ends end braces arranged on each side of the rigid braces substantially as described.

10. In combination,the body comprising the outer end plates having ledges, the horizontal flanged plates secured thereto, the second flanged plates arranged above the first, the supplemental pieces having the segmental ends, the rigid braces extending between said flanged plates, the upper and lower divided end pieces, the segmental end of the supplemental pieces being pivoted to the flanges of the first plates, and the adjacent ends of the upper end pieces being pivotally connected to the flanges of the second plates, the vertical braces extending between said flanged plates and rigidly fixed therein, the vertical braces extending between the upper and lower end pieces and pivotally connected flanged plates, the upper and lower divided end pieces, the segmental end of the supplemental pieces being pivoted to the flanges of the first plates, and the adjacent ends of the 5 upper end pieces being pivotally connected to the flanges of the second plates, the vertical braces extending between said flanged plates and rigidly fixed therein; the vertical braces extending between the upper and lower end I0 pieces and pivotally connected therein, the

vertically-movable arm having aforked end, the prongs thereof being pivotally secured to said supplemental pieces and the side pieces and braces.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two Witnesses.

HOWARD H. HOMER. Witnesses:

MARY E. HOMER, ALICE L. HOMER. 

